The sky above the battlefield darkened unnaturally.
Crackling thunderclouds swirled inside the psychic barrier, drawn together by Electivire's raw power. Electricity surged upward, gathering into a single devastating point.
Gary's voice cut through the tension.
"Electivire—THUNDER!"
A massive bolt tore down from the sky—blinding, deafening, unstoppable.
Ash's breath caught. "That's insane…!"
The lightning struck straight toward Charizard like divine judgment.
But Tharion didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
His voice came—calm, absolute.
"Charizard."
A single glance passed between trainer and Pokémon.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
"End it."
Charizard roared.
Flames erupted from his body—not ordinary fire, but something deeper, denser, compressed. Heat distorted the air itself as his wings spread wide, gathering power into his chest.
The temperature inside the barrier skyrocketed.
Even outside, Tracy stumbled back. "It's getting hotter—how is that possible?!"
Professor Oak's eyes widened. "…That's not just Flamethrower."
Tharion spoke the command.
"Blast Burn."
The world ignited.
A colossal torrent of white-hot fire exploded from Charizard's mouth—far beyond normal limits. It wasn't just a stream—it was a wave, a roaring inferno that swallowed the battlefield as it surged upward to meet the descending Thunder.
Fire and lightning collided.
For a moment—
Time froze.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The explosion shook the entire barrier, sending violent ripples across its surface. Flames and electricity twisted together, tearing at each other in a blinding storm.
Ash shielded his eyes. "I can't see anything!"
Selene instinctively stepped back, holding Aster closer—but the baby remained asleep, untouched by the chaos.
Inside the storm—
Charizard pushed forward.
The Blast Burn overpowered the Thunder.
The fire tore through the lightning and crashed down onto Electivire with unstoppable force.
The explosion at ground level sent shockwaves ripping across the arena.
Then—
Silence.
The smoke slowly cleared.
Charizard stood at the center of the field, wings slightly raised, flames flickering steadily.
Across from him—
Electivire lay on the ground.
Unmoving.
Tracy raised his hand, voice shaking but clear.
"E-Electivire is unable to battle! The first round goes to Tharion!"
Ash erupted. "That was AMAZING!"
Gary stood frozen for a second.
Then—
He laughed.
Not in frustration.
But excitement.
"…Now I get it," he said quietly. "This is the gap I need to cross."
He recalled Electivire, his expression sharpening once more.
"Don't think this is over."
Gary reached for another Poké Ball.
"My turn—round two!"
He threw it forward.
"Go—Blastoise!"
A massive form appeared in a burst of light, water cannons gleaming as Blastoise slammed onto the battlefield with immense presence.
Ash's eyes widened again. "Blastoise…!"
Tharion studied it for a brief moment.
Then nodded.
"Well chosen."
He raised his hand.
"Charizard, return."
Charizard let out a satisfied rumble but didn't protest. With a flash of red light, he was recalled.
Gary blinked. "Switching already?"
Tharion reached for another Poké Ball.
"The matchup matters," he said simply.
He tossed it forward.
"Let's continue. Tyranitar."
The ground trembled.
A massive green titan emerged, roaring as sand began to swirl violently around it.
The moment Tyranitar stepped onto the field—
The battlefield changed.
A sandstorm erupted instantly, wind howling as grains of sand whipped through the arena.
Blastoise dug its feet in, bracing itself.
Gary's grin widened.
"Now this is what I wanted!"
Tharion stood calm amidst the storm, coat fluttering slightly.
"Second round," Tracy announced from outside the barrier, gripping his notebook tightly.
"Begin!"
Gary struck first.
"Blastoise—Hydro Pump!"
Twin cannons fired simultaneously, launching massive torrents of water that cut through the sandstorm like missiles.
Tharion's voice followed instantly.
"Stone Edge."
Tyranitar slammed its foot down.
Jagged pillars of rock erupted from the ground, intercepting the Hydro Pump mid-path. Water exploded against stone, sending steam and debris into the air.
Gary reacted fast.
"Break through it—Ice Beam!"
Blastoise shifted instantly, firing a freezing beam that shattered the stone pillars into fragments.
Tharion's eyes gleamed.
"Close the distance. Crunch."
Tyranitar surged forward despite its size, moving with terrifying speed. Its jaws glowed dark as it lunged straight toward Blastoise.
Gary shouted, "Counter with Shell Smash—then Rapid Spin!"
Blastoise's defenses dropped—but its speed skyrocketed. It spun violently, creating a vortex of water and momentum that slammed into Tyranitar head-on.
BOOM!
The collision sent both Pokémon sliding back.
Ash clenched his fists. "This is insane…!"
The sandstorm raged harder.
Two powerhouses stood facing each other.
And the battle—
Was far from over.
The sandstorm howled louder.
Grains of sand whipped across the battlefield, reducing visibility and grinding against Blastoise's shell while Tyranitar stood like an unshakable pillar at its center—completely in its element.
Blastoise narrowed its eyes, cannons tracking through the storm.
Gary smirked. "Don't lose sight of it! Use the wind—Water Pulse!"
A spiraling sphere of water shot forward, cutting through the sandstorm with precision, its rotation disrupting the flow of Tyranitar's control over the field.
Tharion didn't raise his voice.
"Break it. Rock Slide."
Tyranitar roared and slammed both arms into the ground. Massive boulders tore upward and crashed forward, colliding with the Water Pulse mid-air.
BOOM!
Water exploded into mist.
But Gary had already anticipated it.
"Now—Flash Cannon!"
Blastoise's cannons glowed bright silver before firing a concentrated beam straight through the lingering mist.
It struck.
Direct hit.
Tyranitar was pushed back several feet, its massive frame skidding against the ground.
Ash clenched his fists. "Gary's reading the battlefield now!"
Professor Oak nodded. "He's adapting quickly."
The sandstorm wavered—but didn't fall.
Tyranitar lifted its head slowly, completely unfazed despite the hit.
Tharion's eyes sharpened slightly.
"Good," he murmured.
Across the field, Gary grinned.
"I'm not the same as before."
Blastoise slammed its feet down, water pressure building again.
"Let's push it—Hydro Pump!"
Twin torrents of water roared forward with even greater force than before, tearing through the sandstorm like twin dragons.
Tharion responded instantly.
"Protect."
A shimmering green barrier formed around Tyranitar just as the Hydro Pump struck. Water crashed against it violently, splashing outward in all directions, steam rising as it clashed with the heated sand.
The barrier held—
Then shattered.
But Tyranitar stood unharmed.
"Now," Tharion said.
"Earthquake."
Tyranitar roared and slammed its foot down.
The entire battlefield shook violently.
Cracks spread across the ground, destabilizing Blastoise's footing. The shockwave disrupted its stance, forcing it to brace heavily.
Gary reacted quickly.
"Jump—then Aqua Tail!"
Blastoise launched itself upward, tail glowing with swirling water energy as it spun midair and came crashing down toward Tyranitar.
Tharion didn't move.
"Catch it."
Tyranitar stepped forward—
And grabbed Blastoise's tail mid-swing.
The impact still landed partially, water exploding outward—but Tyranitar held firm, claws locking tightly.
Ash's eyes widened. "It caught it?!"
Gary's grin flickered.
"…No way."
Tharion's voice was quiet—but decisive.
"Crunch."
Tyranitar pulled Blastoise in and struck with a dark, crushing bite against its side.
Blastoise roared as it was thrown backward, skidding across the battlefield before barely managing to regain balance.
The sandstorm intensified again.
Both Pokémon were now visibly worn.
And yet—
Neither stepped back.
Behind a cluster of trees overlooking the Oak residence, three familiar figures crouched low.
Jessie adjusted her binoculars. "This better be worth it, James. If it's just another boring trainer—"
She stopped mid-sentence.
"…Wait."
James slowly lowered his own binoculars, eyes wide.
"That's not just any trainer…"
Meowth squinted. "Who is it, twerp number 500?"
James swallowed.
"…That's him."
Jessie blinked. "Him who?"
James raised the binoculars again, voice tense now.
"Tharion."
The name hung in the air.
Meowth's ears twitched. "The undefeated Champion guy?"
"The same," James said quietly. "Champion of multiple regions… the one who never lost a single official match."
Jessie's expression shifted—from annoyance… to calculation.
"…And we're just sitting here watching him?"
James didn't respond immediately.
His eyes were fixed on the battlefield—on Tyranitar standing against Blastoise like a force of nature.
"…We're not interfering," he said firmly.
Jessie frowned. "Since when do we back off from a challenge?"
James lowered the binoculars slowly.
"Since the target is someone way out of our league."
Meowth gulped. "Yeah… I ain't messin' with that…"
Blastoise rose again, breathing heavier now.
Gary wiped sweat from his forehead—but his eyes burned brighter than ever.
"This isn't over!" he shouted.
Tharion nodded slightly.
"I know."
The sandstorm roared between them.
Two trainers.
Two powerhouses.
And a battle that was pushing both sides further with every passing second.
The second round—
Was reaching its peak.